From Opus

This article is incomplete. This article is missing one or more sections. You can help the BirdForum Opus by expanding it.

Photo by Clyde L.
Location: Central Louisiana, USA

Melospiza melodia

[edit] Identification

13-15 cm

• Medium-sized, long-tailed
• Short, rounded wings
• Bill size variable, often rather narrow and pointed
• Brown lateral crown-stripes and a grey, paler median stripe
• Greyish on the side of the head with brown stripes back from eye, along lower edge of ear-coverts and lateral throat stripe
• Distinct dark streaks below, on upper breast usually coalescing to form a small dark patch.

[edit] Distribution

North America

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Habitat

Brushy areas and marshes, including salt marshes.

[edit] Behaviour

They forage on the ground, in shrubs or in very shallow water. The diet includes insects and seeds. Birds in salt marshes may also eat small crustaceans.

They nest either in a sheltered location on the ground or in trees or shrubs. 3-5 brown spotted greenish-white eggs are laid.

[edit] Vocalisation

Call - Burry chep
Song -Complicated series of trills and whistles. Much individual variation. Delivered from several prominent perches around the edge of male's territory.

[edit] External Links